Automatic air volume control



AUTOMATIC AIR VOLUME ooNToL Filed Nov. 1'1., 1944 la 5 -e 31 wcm/bon Patented Sept. 11, 1945 UNiTED .STAT-as PATENT OFFICE 2,384,770 AUTOMATIC AIR voLUME yCONTROL Arthur P. Ruth, Hbuston.- rex. Application November 11, 1944, 'serial Na'seaoc'z 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an automatic air volurne control.

The invention embodies certain improvements over that type of control means described inthe 4 United sStates Patent No, 2,362,586 issued to applicant.

An object of the invention is to provi-de novel means for maintaining the requiredV air pressure in the water tank of a watersupply syS- l will be maintained in the water pump and the pump will not lose its prime irrespective of variations of pressure in the well.

The improvements herein disclosed may be applied either to the pump supply line leading into the tank or to the service line leading from the tank to the point of utilization just as is the case with the construction shown in the patent above referred to.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, Ian example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 shows a sectional View of the controlling device as connected to the pump and to the water tank; and

Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates the discharge line from a water pump 2 and attached, in any preferred manner, to the outer end of said line there is a cylinder 3 having the discharge ports 4 and clamped between the outer end of said cylinder and the opposing end of the discharge line there is a disc shaped seat 5 which is suitably perforated for the free flow of water therethrough.

Screwed onto the outer end ofthe line I there is a surrounding housing B and bolted to the free end of this housing there is a dome like cap l. A flexible diaphragm 8 has its margin clamped between the housing 6 and the cap 'I thus forming a pressure chamber El which is equipped with the inwarly opening inlet valve I0.

Y Fitted into the cylinder 3 thereis a piston Il which is fastened to oneend of tlie piston rod IIa. This' rod extends axially through 'the cylinder. 3 and also extends through the diaphragm 8 to which it is fastened, as shown in Figure 1.

Threaded .into the cap fl there is a gland I2 whose outer end has a bearing through which the corresponding endof the Apiston rod works. The piston rod is clamped to the diaphragm by means ofva clamp nut-I3 and surrounding the outer end of the rod .and interposed between the nutlB and the gland there is 'a strong coil spring I4.

The outer end of the piston rod may be en closed and protected by a cap I 5 which is screwed onto the outer end of the gland -I 2.

Leading from the housing 6 into the conventional pressure tank IB, of the system, there is a supply line I1 through which water is delivered into the tank and leading from the chamber 9 and terminating in the tank above the normal water level there is an air pipe I8 which is equipped with a back pressure valve I9.

It is to be understood that the pump will be driven by an electric motor and the switch for controlling the motor will be operated by the pressure in the tank in the well known manner so that when the pressure is low in the tank the switch will be Closed so as to start the motor to operate the pump to deliver radditional water to the tank and when a predetermined pressure in the tank has been attained the switch will be automatically opened and the pump stopped.

With the type of charger herein described the required amount of air will be maintained in the tank so that the tank will not become water logged, that is, so that there will be a suicient volume of air maintained at all times in the tank to maintain pressure on the water for a suitable length of tune, when once placed under pressure, so that the motor will not be so frequently started.

When the pump begins operation, the piston I I will be forced outwardly in the cylinder until it uncovers the ports 4 whereupon the water wil1 be delivered on through said ports, and the line I'I, into the tank. At the same time the diaphragm will be operated to reduce the volume of the chamber y9 and the air therein will be forced through the pipe I8 into the tank and trapped therein by the back pressure valve I9. When a predetermined pressure has been attained the motor and. pump will be automatically stopped and the spring I4 will force the piston I I in the opposite direction until it is stopped by the seat 5.

The capacity of the chamber 9 will be increased as the piston moves to its original, or starting position, and an additional charge of air Iwill be drawn in through the valve I0.

Excessive pressures in the tank I6 Will be prevented since said tank is equipped with a conventional relief valve provided for the purpose.

As the pump pressure varies in accordance with the variations of pressure of the liquid in the 'Well the compression on the spring I4 must be correspondingly adjusted and for that reason the gland I2 is provided with the required range of adjustment so that by adjusting the gland the compression on the spring I 4 may be correspondingly varied. The gland and spring are, therefore, so mounted as to be accessible and adjustable to accomplish the purposes stated. For example, when water is being pumped into the tank I6 the ports 4 fwill be open. Should Water Ibe drawn from the tank I6 so as to lower the pressure in the tank the pressure in the discharge pipe I will be correspondingly lowered but the spring I4 shpuld be so adjusted that it Will move the plunger into position to close the ports 4, so as to maintain the pressure in the discharge line and pump at the required pressure necessary for the pump to eiciently operate.

The air charger may be, if desired, connected into the service line 20 of the tank Iby arranging it so that the out iiowing water will operate against the piston I I. In this arrangement the supply pipe =I`I would be connected directly to the discharge line of the pump.

What I claim is:

l. An air pump comprising, a cylinder connected into a. pressure line, ,a piston in the cylinder exposed to the pressure in said line, an air chamber having an air discharge line, a piston rod connected to the piston and extended through said cylinder and chamber, an adjustable gland connected to one wall of the chambe through .which .the outer end of the rod extendg means connected to the piston rod for varyin the capacity of the chamber, .a coil spring interposed between said means and said gland and whose compression may be varied by the adjustment of said gland.

2. An air pump comprising, a cylinder adapted to be connected into a pressure line and having a discharge port, a piston in the cylinder exposed to the pressure in the line and movable to one position to kclose said port and to another position to open said port, an air chamber having an air discharge line and having a movable wall for varying the volume of said chamber, a valve controlled inlet into the chamber, a piston rod connected to the piston and extended through said cylinder and chamber and connected to said movable Wall, an adjustable gland connected to another Wall of the chamber through which the outer end of the rod extends, .a coil spring between said gland and said movable Wall and .whose compression may be varied Iby the adjustment of the gland.

ARTHUR P. RUTH. 

